I’ve never traveled to Kazakhstan, but I have met several Kazakhs over the years. They seemed to be very different from the Russians I know. And every one of them was a Muslim, if they professed any religion at all. In any case, I assume Putin is interested primarily in the oil and mineral deposits there, and uses the excuse of protecting the Russian ethnic minority to justify his not-so-veiled threats.
26% christian according to 2009 census
A major Russian space center is in Kazakhstan..